


Drifting, Fighting and everything else on the To-Do list.

by DelicateRevelations



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Post-Drift Cling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2013-08-03
Packaged: 2017-12-22 07:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/910746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelicateRevelations/pseuds/DelicateRevelations
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Drifting in Jaegar is like a drug, the Jaegar pilots are the addicts and when clinging afterwards is how they cope with the withdrawal. Set between the double event attack on Hong Kong and the strike on the breach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drifting, Fighting and everything else on the To-Do list.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Pacific Rim story, I saw the movie the weekend it came out with my brothers and I’ve had this idea floating around in my head since then. Hopefully it makes as much sense in written form as it did in my head.
> 
> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Warner Bros Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Pacific Rim. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended

* * *

_“Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn’t people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?”_

_\- Rose Kennedy_

* * *

 

Coming out of the Drift was something Raleigh likened to coming off a high. It was exhilarating, it was exhausting, and it was addictive.

“I don’t understand why anyone does drugs! That was such a rush!” Mako confided to Raleigh, giggling slightly as she leaned into him.

Raleigh raised an amused eyebrow, “Yeah?”

“Why do drugs when drifting is so much… more?”

Shaking his head Raleigh slung his arm around her shoulders, “You’re still riding the adrenaline rush.” He teased playfully as he looked down at her.

Even now that her hair was messy, the blue streaks caught his eye with every movement.

Mako swatted his arm in retaliation, even as she pressed closer to him, relishing in the contact and the reminder that here was someone who knew her inside out and accepted her.

The fight was over and together they’d taken down two Kaiju, Mako was still in a state of stunned disbelief.

“Well aren’t you two cozy?” A voice called loudly so as to be heard over the chatter of the techs and mechanics rushing around.

Raleigh tilted his head up and peered at the speaker form his position on the ground, leaning against the wall.

Somehow he was unsurprised that the person was none other than Chuck Hansen.

Mako smile politely at him, and with a slight wince Raleigh recognized the smile, it was her _I’m smiling at you because I’m a polite person but in reality I am angry with you_ smile.

And it certainly said something about them that Raleigh now knew what her different smiles meant.

Chuck looked unsure for a moment, clearly he too recognized that smile, before shaking it off and flopping down in front of them.

In less than 5 seconds Max barreled over from where he’d previously been standing with Herc and made quick work of wiggling into Chuck’s lap.

The sight brought brief, but genuine smiles to the three pilots’ faces.

Chuck peered at Mako, “How’s your first post-drift cling?”

Swallowing a laugh, Raleigh looked away.

“Post-Drift Cling?” Mako queried, absentmindedly tracing circles on Raleigh’s arm. Chuck noted the action on her part and the inaction on Raleigh’s part.

Chuck blinked, “The Marshall never mentioned it?” he asked incredulously, unable to quite believe he'd never metnioned it or that Mako could possibly have spent as much time around various shatterdomes and pilots as she had and still not have heard of the concept.

On the other hand, Raleigh didn’t think that was shocking at all.

“It’s one of those things Pilots tend to keep to themselves,” Raleigh reminded him.

Frowning, Chuck considered the point before conceding it, “True.”

Mako made a frustrated noise, “You didn’t answer my question.”

Exchanging a glance, Raleigh and Chuck grinned.

“It’s what we pilots call this,” Raleigh explained, nudging her playfully.

When she still looked confused, Chuck took his turn, “Look, since the drift have you moved more than a foot from Becket here?”

Mako opened her mouth only to close it again as she really thought about it.

“Probably less than that,” she admitted sheepishly.

Shrugging Chuck said, “It’s different for different teams. You two are clearly one of the nauseatingly cuddly types."

Inwardly Raleigh flinched, he and Yancey had definitely not been of the cuddly brand.

No, they’d had a different way to cope with the withdrawal from each other.

As children the two of them had always been rambunctious, energetic, and they were constantly playing games.

It had only made sense for that to transfer here.

So, after a drift (When their health permitted it) they would grab a football, a soccer ball, any ball really and play with it. They would run from one end of the Alaska Shatterdome to the other laughing and tackling as they went.

And when they inevitably stopped for a breather Yancey would ruffle his hair, call him ‘ _Rals_ ’ and cup the back of his neck.

It would make them both pause for a moment, grounding each other.

Predictably Yancey would be the one to break the moment by stealing the ball and running off with it. Raleigh would retaliate by chasing after him and jumping on his back. That would be their cue to start up again.

They would keep going for hours, dodging the people and running from the yells, but it always ended the same. With them collapsed in an exhausted heap.

“Raleigh?” Mako murmured, shaking his arm and subsequently dragging him back to the present.

He blinked, the vision of him and Yancey swimming before him only to be replaced by a concerned Mako and Chuck who looked faintly constipated.

Raleigh figured that was what Chuck looked like when he was suppressing an emotion.

“Sorry,” he met Mako’s eyes briefly, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, “We were talking about the post-drift cling?”

Mako looked reluctant to move on from Raleigh’s relapse but knew better than to push the issue.

Deciding to turn the table on Chuck she smiled prettily at him, “What type are you and Herc?”

Chuck froze and Raleigh knew he was holding back what was likely an angry and disparaging remark.

Feeling generous, Raleigh let him off the hook while simultaneously asking what he felt was a more pressing question.

“Better yet, why are you being polite? Even sort of nice?”

Mako chocked back a laugh while Chuck continued to flounder.

“Look, I’m just gonna go…” Chuck started, getting up to leave. He didn’t get very far though as both Raleigh and Mako lunged forward and dragged him back down.

Chuck looked surprised but settled back, patting the disgruntled Max on his head.

“To answer your question,” Mako glanced at Raleigh pointedly, “Him being this nice is his way of apologizing.”

Raleigh blinked, “Huh. Well considering everything that's been going on, I’d say it’s all water under the bridge.”

Smiling cheerfully, Mako nodded in agreement.

Chuck stared, just for a moment before mentally rallying.

“‘Water under the bridge’? What kind of saying is that, Old Man?” Chuck teased.

The three stared at each other, and then promptly burst out laughing.

And if their laughter edged towards hysterical as they inched ever closer to their final strike? What would likely be their last day alive?

Well, only they would know.

* * *

 

_“What we do for ourselves dies with us.  What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.”_

_\- Albert Pine_

* * *

 


End file.
